Early UK Cali owners?

[andrew bazeley]

Just out of interest: I know I haven't got the oldest Cali in the UK (early 2008), but I'd be interested to hear how many people (admittedly only on this forum) are driving 2007/8 models around (and how many of them have had them from new, ie; are the original owners). I'm very proud of my oldie, and am working hard to keep it looking shiny and new!

 

[jts46]

2006
130 bhp
From new
137,000 miles
Also very proud of her and looking good for the age

 

[sidepod]

My Cali is a 2003. I know there are older ones here but we only go back to T4.

The first California was a type 2?

 

[westfalia]

The first California was a type 2?

Type 3 wasn´t it ?? or Type 25 ( same thing )

 

[jeff]

Had her from new March 2008 still treat her like a baby. Love it every time we go out in her.

 

[westfalia]

2006, 2.5. 174ps comfortline.
owned from new. 241,000kms new engine at about 225,000
eibachs, side rails and sportline wheels,
For me, it looks better than when it was new.

 

[CALROE1]

2006, 2.5. 174ps comfortline.
owned from new. 241,000kms new engine at about 225,000
eibachs, side rails and sportline wheels,
For me, it looks better than when it was new.View attachment 27703

Looks stunning

 

[Hotel California]

2006, 2.5. 174ps comfortline.
owned from new. 241,000kms new engine at about 225,000
eibachs, side rails and sportline wheels,
For me, it looks better than when it was new.View attachment 27703

Great stuff ....
Do hope it are "trip" km and not " home-work"

 

[Sad]

2008 here also, but we've only had her for a few months now...

 

[flying banana]

Looks stunning

why did it need a new engine? I have a t6 beach and suspect I'll need a new engine every 4 years with all this egr shite

 

[Salty]

2006, 2.5. 174ps comfortline.
owned from new. 241,000kms new engine at about 225,000
eibachs, side rails and sportline wheels,
For me, it looks better than when it was new.View attachment 27703

Cornish flag?

 

[westfalia]

Great stuff ....
Do hope it are "trip"

We´ve done a few trips in it in the early years, mainly at festivals,
try to calm it a bit these days.
Thanks.

 

[westfalia]

Cornish flag?

Of course, St. Mawgan. It´s where the heart is.

 

[westfalia]

why did it need a new engine? I have a t6 beach and suspect I'll need a new engine every 4 years with all this egr shite

Apparently, it was a knackered injector that would - over a period of time- drip diesel onto
a piston and then it would burn out on the piston making it thinner until it blew
a hole in it.
I really was piston broke.

 

[sidepod]

Apparently, it was a knackered injector that would - over a period of time- drip diesel onto
a piston and then it would burn out on the piston making it thinner until it blew
a hole in it.
I really was piston broke.

Check for excessive smoke on start up

 

[Salty]

Of course, St. Mawgan. It´s where the heart is.

Nice, we were in the Falcon a couple of weekends ago, and had a walk around the monastery. Amazing how few people know it’s there.

 

[westfalia]

Nice, we were in the Falcon a couple of weekends ago, and had a walk around the monastery. Amazing how few people know it’s there.

Falcon is ace. We´ll be back soon enough.

 

[Lloydfred]

[QUOTE="sidepod, post:

The first California was a type 2?[/QUOTE]

My understanding was Westfalia started to coach build the first campers to their own early split screen then bay windows designs. Then the T25 - T3 and after that VW supplied Westfalia with blanks to be built at the Westfalia factory and then supplied direct to the end user by VW. Then the T4 late 2003 the Westfalia business stopped the production. Then VW ended their partnership and VW started to build their own version of what we now know today as the California SE.

But I maybe wrong!

 

[westfalia]

Check for excessive smoke on start up

Even if you noticed smoke with a diesel burner . It ain´t gonna lead you to
stripping down the engine to find out the cause, or is it ?

 

[B J G]

Even if you noticed smoke with a diesel burner . It ain´t gonna lead you to
stripping down the engine to find out the cause, or is it ?

Used to be the norm with diesels chucking out blue smoke until warmed up. Did that for years without any mechanical failure. Eventually would warrant an engine overhaul due to bore, piston rings and valve guide wear.
Faulty injector most probably would give a black smoke problem.

 

[bassbikemike]

2006 2.5 174bhp 4motion (chipped to 195bhp by the original owner). We've owned her 10 months. Love the burble of the 5 cylinder engine. Its a brilliant vehicle.

 

[Gavinskii]

We have a 2006 “Comfortline” 174ps (though running at 215ps these days) owned it for the last 2.5years (previously owned 2 T4 Cali’s). It’s currently done around 92k miles and still runs like a dream ( been serviced at VW since new).
I replaced the two tambour doors on the wardrobe + the sliding roof hatch last year.
With the camchain engine, and avg mpg of 35, I can’t find a good reason to change to a later model.
Although I am vaguely considering changing the front end to a 5.1 - purely for aesthetics.

 

[andrew bazeley]

I meant T5/6 Calis in my first post, but it's been great reading the posts about the earlier Californias - I'd forgotten about them! It occurs to me I should maybe post a photo of my early 2008. I was dead lucky; my local VW van centre had put one together at the request of one of the national sales directors. He asked for all the extras; tinted glass, leather seats, 174ps DSG engine with cruise control, lots of shiny bits. Then he changed his mind! So there it was shining on the forecourt, priced lower than the base model price. I wasn't even looking for one, but how could I resist!

 

[Trebor]

[QUOTE="sidepod, post:

The first California was a type 2?

My understanding was Westfalia started to coach build the first campers to their own early split screen then bay windows designs. Then the T25 - T3 and after that VW supplied Westfalia with blanks to be built at the Westfalia factory and then supplied direct to the end user by VW. Then the T4 late 2003 the Westfalia business stopped the production. Then VW ended their partnership and VW started to build their own version of what we now know today as the California SE.

But I maybe wrong![/QUOTE]

I had a great 1974 M reg Westfalia 1700 auto twin carb Orange /white for over 10 years from new . Got the same as I paid for it when I sold . Big mistake !

 

[Lloydfred]

My understanding was Westfalia started to coach build the first campers to their own early split screen then bay windows designs. Then the T25 - T3 and after that VW supplied Westfalia with blanks to be built at the Westfalia factory and then supplied direct to the end user by VW. Then the T4 late 2003 the Westfalia business stopped the production. Then VW ended their partnership and VW started to build their own version of what we now know today as the California SE.

But I maybe wrong!

I had a great 1974 M reg Westfalia 1700 auto twin carb Orange /white for over 10 years from new . Got the same as I paid for it when I sold . Big mistake ![/QUOTE]

Thinking about it they did introduce the name California on the T25 - T3